THANKS TO ALL WHO CAME OUT! Read the report back on the 'Stop the Cuts' Website: http://www.torontostopthecuts.com

**JOIN OCAP and the DOWNTOWN EAST COMMITTEE
Meeting @ 4:30pm at Moss Park (Queen and Sherbourne)
-Tokens provided if needed
-Marching together to City Hall

On January 17th-19th, City Council will vote on the 2012 budget. Ford
and his buddies want to cut nearly $90 million in services, even though the city has a surplus of at least $140 million. They plan to slash services, hike fares and user fees, and lockout or layoff workers when there is actually enough money to improve life in this city.

McGuinty Ensures Poverty: One per cent for the poor from the one per cent in Ontario
December 1, 2011

Published on rabble.ca (http://rabble.ca)

There is generally little focus in mainstream media on social assistance rates. Last week, Carol Goar took on the issues in an editorial entitled "Queen's Park offers crumbs to Ontario's poor"[2]. The article brought attention to the issue of social assistance rates, but it misses some major points on the fight to raise welfare and disability rates in Ontario. As Marian Kramer of the National Welfare Rights Organization in the U.S would say, "the media covers the plight but not the fight of the poor." So let us fill in the blanks.

Assistance rates 55 per cent lower than in 1994

On Dec. 1 social assistance rates will increase by an insulting 1 %. This increase is well below the rate of inflation which is estimated at three per cent this year. With inflation factored in, what McGuinty calls a one per cent raise, is, in reality a two per cent cut. This cut is a loss of real income for the poor, which, when coupled with the major cut to the Special Diet Program, means a dramatic deepening of poverty in 2012 and beyond.

THE DEMANDS!

1) Reverse the Cuts, Raise the Rates!
In 1995 the Tory government cut welfare rates by 21.6 % and froze disability. Since the Liberals came to power in 2003, they have not only failed to reverse the Harris cuts, but have actually perpetuated a further decline in rates. As a result of that initial 21.6% cut coupled with inflation for the last 16 years, welfare rates are approximately 55% below where they should be. If benefit levels were restored to the same level of spending power as we had in 1994, a single person on Ontario Works would receive an immediate $904/month instead of the miserable $593 now being issued. No one can survive on these poverty rates; $593 cannot afford someone a place to live let alone food and basic needs.

The Liberal government has now announced that they are freezing the minimum wage in 2011. Workers trying to survive on minimum wage are already making poverty wages and will now see their incomes fall as a result of inflation and a freeze on wages. Currently there are approximately 1 in 6 workers or working at or close to minimum wage in Ontario, and the gap between minimum wage and welfare is greater now than it ever has been.

WE DEMAND an immediate increase in OW and ODSP rates to bring them back to pre-Harris levels. 55% NOW– raise the rates to where people can live with health and dignity!

WE DEMAND the minimum wage freeze be lifted immediately and that minimum wage be increased to a living wage for everyone in Ontario.

2) Restore the Special Diet!

In the 2010 provincial budget last March, the Liberal government announced that the special diet would be slashed completely. The special diet has been a vital benefit that has put money in the pockets of communities forced to live in poverty on social assistance rates that are entirely inadequate. Due to community outrage and mobilization, the Liberal government have now backtracked and said that they will keep part of the Special Diet, however the program is being completely gutted. The new system excludes numerous health conditions and reduces the benefits received for many other conditions. In addition applicants will have to release medical information and face other intrusive measures designed to prevent access to the benefit. Within the Liberals’ own statement about this measure, they refer to the fact that ‘many will not be eligible’. The new Special Diet comes in to affect on April 1st and all those who are not eligible under the new program will be cut off by July 31st.

The loss of the full Special Diet alongside declining social assistance rates will drive communities deeper into poverty and poor health. It is one of many social cuts to come as part of the government austerity measures and we must mobilize and demand that it be restored.

WE DEMAND the full restoration of the Special Diet to a benefit of up to $250 for food and complete reversal of all intrusive measures.

We are getting lots of calls in the office about the changes to the special diet. So, we broke it down for you. To find out the changes, including what diets are eliminated, reduced, increased or added, and when it is best for you to send in new forms, click here.

As little as $10 a month can help us maintain our work across this city and it just got easier to give.